Gotham City: PA State Senator Allyson Schwartz Runs for U.S. Senate Against Rick Santorum

Gotham City:
Telling Tales of Our Capital Region's Politics
by Frank Pizzoli

PA State Senator Allyson Schwartz Runs for U.S. Senate Against Rick Santorum

Running with about $782,000 in available cash against incumbent U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania State Senator Allyson Schwartz faces a crowded field of Democratic contenders in Pennsylvania’s April 4 Primary Election for one of the state’s two open senate seats.

The gay-friendly candidate Schwartz has two serious contenders in former PA Labor Secretary Tom Foley and sitting Congressman Ron Klink, each with about $500,000 cash on hand with which to wage primary battles. Schwartz is by far the most promising challenger.

Schwartz’s record as a PA state senator shows solid support of gay and lesbian issues. “I’ve worked on the Hate Crimes issue consistently,” pointing out her support of adding sexual orientation to existing hate crime language as legislated in Pennsylvania. Schwartz recently spoke at Philadelphia’s William Way Gay & Lesbian Center, well-known around the state as a focal point for activism.

“Absolutely,” replied Schwartz when asked by MODE if she supported ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act proposed on the federal level that, if passed, would apply to all 50 states. If elected one of Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators, Schwartz could be in a position to vote on the measure.

Schwartz is no one-issue candidate. Since her election to the Pennsylvania Senate in 1990, Schwartz has also fought for a number of family-friendly issues. In 1992 she was a lead negotiator in the development of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which makes private health insurance available to children of working families not eligible for the Medicaid program.
Then, in 1998, Schwartz convinced Governor Tom Ridge to make full use of new federal funding to expand the CHIP program to cover more of Pennsylvania’s children.
In addition, to give women a better chance to detect and survive cancer, Schwartz secured the passage of legislation to require insurance coverage of PAP smears, and to guarantee the quality of all mammography facilities in the state. She also authored legislation guaranteeing women direct access to OB-GYN providers in managed health care organizations.

Schwartz believes in reducing gun violence and has promoted mini police stations, innovative bicycle patrols, and town watch groups in the Philadelphia area, as well as proposed those types of solutions for other Pennsylvania localities.
There’s more. Schwartz introduced the Safe Schools initiative, a package of legislation to prevent violence in schools. This proposal would also provide support for anti-violence education as a part of the normal school curriculum. She is a long-time advocate for small class size and has also fought for state support of full-day kindergarten.
She also has introduced legislation that would give part-time workers the same pay and benefits as full-time workers performing the same job. Under Schwartz’s plan part-time workers would also qualify for prorated health, pension, and other benefits.

In contrast, incumbent Santorum may have more money but not much of a reputation with his Republican colleagues. One Republican senator asked out loud, “Santorum. That’s Latin for asshole isn’t it?” A 1998 survey of senators listed Santorum as one of ten “dumbest.”

Santorum has consistently voted one way and then acted another, earning him that dubious title, “Don’t Do As I Do, Do as I Say,” from Citizens for Consumer Justice.

In 1993, 1995, and again in 1999, he voted to limit medical malpractice liability and then late last year testified for his wife in her medical liability case that ended in a $350,000 settlement. For this behavior, he was recognized by Washington DC’s prestigious Roll Call for his signature “hypocrisy.”

Observers also point out that one the recipient of student loans himself, Santorum has consistently voted against similar measures while in office.

The facts speak for themselves.

Note: Normally held later in the calendar year, the General Assembly this year moved up the Primary date so that the election would not conflict with the celebration of Passover and Easter holidays, which occur back-to-back.